Independently sprung front wheel



Feb. 21, 1939. P. E. MATTHEWS 2,148,029

INDEPENDENTLY SFRUNG FRONT WHEEL Filed Aug. 6, 193 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 NVE NTOR.

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BY 9 t 1 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEINDEPENDENTLY SPRUNG FRONT WHEEL Application August 6,

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to independently sprung wheels andembodies, more specifically, an improved mounting by means of whichwheels may be mounted independently upon vehicle 3 frames. In thisconnection, the present invention relates generally to the subjectmatter shown and described in applicants copending applications SerialNo. 757,089, filed December 12,

1934 for Independently sprung front wheel and Serial No. 48,802 filedNovember 8, 1935 for Independently sprung front wheel.

The invention is particularly useful in connection with wheel mountingsof the above character wherein torsion springs are utilized to cushionthe movement of the wheel with respect to the frame, and the presentinvention contemplates the provision of an independent wheel mounting bymeans of which adequate vertical movement of the wheel is permittedwhile pro- .0 viding a mechanism which is sufficiently strong towithstand the shocks and stresses to which it is subjected duringoperation.

An object of the invention, accordingly, is to provide an independentlysprung wheel mechanism of an improved character wherein means isprovided to prevent excessive vertical movement of the wheel. A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the above characterwherein torsion springs are incorporated to cushion relative verticalmovement of the wheel with respect to the frame, supplementary mechanismbeing provided to reinforce the wheel mounting mechanism againststresses subected thereto in a direction parallel to the vehicle frame.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent as it is described ingreater detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, partly in section, on the linel-l of Figure 2, of an independently sprung front wheel, constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Figure 2.is a view in section taken on the line 45 22 of Figure 1 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation similar to Figure 1 and shows amodified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view in section taken on the line 1937, Serial No. 157,671

6-6 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the device taken in section along lines I-Iof Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the construction shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the sideframe channel member of a vehicle is shown at Ill and a wheel to beindependently mounted thereon is indicated at H by the dot and dashlines in Figure 1. This wheel is adapted to be mounted upon a cylinderl2 which is carried by a knuckle member l3 which serves as a steeringpivot. This knuckle member is adapted to be mounted upon the framemember I 0 by means of upper and lower pivot pins l4. Upper and lowerpantograph arms l5 and I6, respectively, are formed with bifurcatedextremities l I in which the pivot pins H are received.

The other ends of arms l5 and I6 are secured to torsion springs l8 andI9, respectively, through spline connections 20 in order that therocking movement of the arms l5 and I8 may be transmitted to therespective torsion springs l8 and IS. A hearing block 2| is secured tothe frame member l0 and is provided with journal members 22 within whichthe torsion springs l8 and I9 are journalled. The remote ends of thesprings l8 and I9 are splined at 23 within anchor brackets 24 which arecarried by an anchor block 25, secured to the frame member ID.

As will be seen in Figure 2, the spline portion of the torsion spring l8extends beyond the arm l5 and carries an arm 26 which is splined there-5 toand secured in position by means of a threaded cap 21 which issecured to the end of the spring l8. Arm 26 extends downwardly and isreceived within a vertical slot 28, formed in an upper extension 29 of ablock 30 which is slidably mounted within an elongated chamber 3! formedby a. cylindrical housing 32. The housing 32 is formed with a flange 33which is adapted to be secured to the frame member l0 and. serves as acylinder within which pistons 34 are slidably received. The pistons 34are secured to block 30 by means of rods 35, a bearing sleeve 36 beingprovided, if desired, between the housing 32 and the block 30. By-passes31 restrict the flow of fluid between opposite sides of the respectivepistons 34, thus serving as a. cushioning or shock absorbing mechanism.The passages 31 may be provided with adjusting means 38 in order thatthe efiectiveness of the shock absorbing mechanism may be controlled. Acap 39 is provided for the outer end housing 32, being secured theretoin a suitable fashion and provided with a lug 40 which serves as anabutment to limit the outward sliding movement of block 30 and,correspondingly, the excessive collapse of the front end of the vehiclein case of a failure of the torsion rods l8 and IS.

in the modification shown in Figures 4, 5, 6 and '7, the wheel ii isindependently mounted on the frame l0. As before, the wheel II isadapted to be mounted on the cylinder I! which is connected to thesteering knuckle l3. This steering knuckle I3 is held in thebifurcations H of the arms 4| and 42 by the pivot pins l4.

As shown in Figure "I, one end of the arm 4| is adapted to be secured tothe bushing 44 which receives the spline section 20 of the torsionspring l8. The bushing 44 is adapted to receive the tapered rollerbearing 45, the inner race 45 of which is suitably secured thereto. Theouter race 41 is secured to the bearing housing 48 which is carried bythe bearing block 2| which is secured to the frame It. The rollerbearing 45 is held in position by means of the spacing ring 52, and theflanged collar 49 which is secured to the bearing housing 45. The collar49 is grooved to receive a suitable packing material 50, thus keepingdust or other harmful substances out of the roller bearing 45. Thespacing ring 52 and the inner race 45 of the roller bearing 45 aresecured to the bushing 44 by means of the threaded lock nut 5| which isadapted to fit the threaded section of the bushing 44.

The anchor block 25 is formed with the bifurcations 53 and 54 which areadapted to receive the remote end of the torsion spring i8. A splinesection 23 of the torsion spring I5 is received in the bifurcation 54which acts as an anchor bracket to secure the torsion spring I! to theframe In through the anchor block 25. Beyond the spline section 23 liesan extension 55 which is journalled in the bifurcation 53 and which issecured thereto by means of the lock nut 59, which is received by thethreaded end of the extension 55.

The arm 4| extends rearwardly, terminating in a Journal member 55 bymeans of which it is journalled to the frame Hi. The journal member 55houses a roller bearing 51 which is journalled on the extension 55 ofthe torsion spring l8. A spacing ring 58 positions the roller bearing51, and in conjunction with the bifurcations 53 and 54 acts to preventaxial motion thereof.

A circular opening 50 is formed on the arm 4| to facilitate the removalof the torsion spring It in case of failure thereof. In normal operationthe opening 5|! is closed by means of a cover plate 5| suitably securedto the arm 4|.

It will be seen that the invention provides for greater vertical frontwheel movement than in existing designs, and by means of 'the shockabsorbing mechanism augments the action of the torsion bars. It furtherprevents excessive collapse of the front end of the vehicle in case thetorsion rods fail. The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 4-7further provides a more rigid structure characterized by greaterstiffness in a forward and rearward direction. In addition thisstructure facilitates the removal and replacement of the torsion springit upon failure thereof.

I claim:

1. An independent wheel mounting comprising a vehicle frame, a wheelmounting member, spaced arms journaled at one end on the wheel mountingmember, whereby vertical movement of the wheel mounting member withrespect to the frame is permitted, a bushing on the other end of atleast one of the arms journaled to the frame, a torsion spring membersplined to the bushing on the end of at least one of the arms, rearwardextensions on the arms, and means to journal the said extensions on theframe coaxial with the journal of the said respective arms on the frame.

2. An independent wheel mounting comprising a vehicle frame, a wheelmounting member, spaced arms journaled at one end on the wheel mountingmember, whereby vertical movement of the wheel mounting member withrespect to the frame is permitted, a bushing on the other end of atleast one of the arms, a tapered roller bearing mounted on the bushingand journaled to the frame, a torsion spring member splined to thebushing on the end' of at least one of the arms, rearward extensions onthe arms, and means to journal the said extensions on the frame coaxialto the journal of the said respective arms on the frame.

3. An independent wheel mounting comprising a vehicle frame, a wheelmounting member, spaced arms Journaled at one end on the wheel mountingmember, whereby vertical movement of the wheel mounting member withrespect to the frame is permitted, a bushing on the other end of atleast one of the arms, a tapered roller bearing mounted on the bushingand Journaled to the frame, a torsion spring member splined at one endthereof to the bushing on the end of at least one of the arms, means tomount the other end of the torsion spring on the frame, rearwardextensions on the arms, a rearwardly extending element on the torsionspring member, and means to journal the extremity of at least one of thearm extensions on the torsion spring.

PHILIP E. MATTHEWS;

